Just one day's worth of stolen mail picked up along Morris roadways. 

MORRIS—Morris Police Chief Mike Nazarchyk wants Morris residents to pay close attention to their mailboxes. Nazarchyk said the city’s street department has recently found large quantities of mail on roadsides that isn’t regular litter. The mail is being taken from the mailboxes of homeowners and then thrown out if it doesn’t contain cash, gift cards or merchandise.

Items, including newly-ordered checks, medications, clothing and other items have been reported missing.

Nazarchyk said the first report of the stolen mail occurred just before Christmas, when street crews found a large mail dump inside the city. Since then, there have been several other instances. Every time, the evidence is turned over to the postal inspector in Gardendale for investigation. Morris police are also making an effort to increase patrols through the neighborhoods, but are also asking residents to be hyper aware.

“The people in these neighborhoods tend to know who is supposed to be there and who doesn’t belong,” he said. “I want them to call us. “I would rather go down there and check it out and it be nothing, than someone not call and it be something. This needs to stop.”

Holding up a discarded birthday card that said “Have some cake and ice cream today. We’re praying for you on your birthday,” Nazarchyk

notes that the card likely contained cash or a gift card that the thieves took.

He encouraged residents to check their mail daily, let the post office know if they are going to be out of town and consider signing up for a free service from the post office called “informed delivery” which catalogs what mail will be received each day and allows residents to report if they do not receive an item. The service sends a daily email containing all the mail for that day. It can be registered for at usps.com or at the post office.

It is a federal offense tamper with someone else’s mail. Nazarchyk asks that if anyone has any information or has seen anything to please call the police department.